


Count the Stars (For You are Among Them)

by opheliasashes



Series: A Handful of Shadows [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Ive decided this work exists in the same universe as These Hands of Mine, Journey, Post canon, and a journey in their relationship, as in crossing the desert home, consider it a prequel, haha double meanings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 14:15:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11465283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opheliasashes/pseuds/opheliasashes
Summary: Lingfan Week 2017Day Two: JourneyThe desert wind kissed the sand causing the dust to rise. Above them a million diamonds seemed to glitter in the sky. So much space in the world and yet it felt as though she existed in all the wrong places. Always reaching and never quite managing to get her hands around something palpable.





	Count the Stars (For You are Among Them)

They crossed the desert in relative silence. The days are filled with dense air which left the mouth dry the moment it is opened. The last time Lan Fan made this journey they had enough time on their side to mostly travel by night and spend the heat of the day resting. Unfortunately, they no longer had that luxury. The faster the young lord returned home, the faster he could secure his rightful place as heir to the throne. And besides, Lan Fan was only willing to go so long without properly dealing with the matter of her grandfather’s body. 

So now they traveled by day and partly by night. Truthfully, Lan Fan didn’t want to rest at all. In fact, she felt as though she didn’t need to. The miles of golden dunes may have appeared endless to the eye, but Lan Fan knew that beyond their eternity lay her country. Last time it had been her grandfather who had lead them through this land with its merciless heat. Now it was her turn to bring them home. 

“Lan Fan.”

A voice pulled her from her thoughts and she gave her mare a gentle tug on the reigns to bring her to a stop. She turned around to meet the eyes of her prince. 

“The horses are tiring. We should stop.”

His tone was gentle and soft and almost made her think that he wasn’t really talking about the horses at all, which was ridiculous. Still, she could plainly see the dark circles under his eyes. Perhaps a rest was in order. 

“Yes my Lord.” 

She dismounted from her mare and began to make camp. Mei Chang began to help her as well. The young girl didn’t say a word, but she offered Lan Fan a cautious smile. A friendship had started to develop between the two since they had left Armestris. Sharing a near-death experience had created a mutual understanding between the two which was hard to put into words. Besides, it was obvious that despite only truly knowing her a short while Ling doted on his sister. And for Lan Fan, that was enough to silently place the princess within her sphere of protection. 

After the firewood was placed and the flint was struck, the three travellers began to huddle around the fire. Ling gave his sister an affectionate pat on the head before taking a seat beside her. For a moment, she locks eyes with him, but he adverts her gaze so quickly she can’t help but be shocked. 

_What’s there to be shocked over_ , a cruel voice seems to whisper in her ear, _He’s a prince. Soon he’ll be the Emperor. You are his guard, his last line of defense, but not of his stature. There’s propriety to think of, especially with his sister present._

The desert wind kissed the sand causing the dust to rise. Above them a million diamonds seemed to glitter in the sky. So much space in the world and yet it felt as though she existed in all the wrong places. Always reaching and never quite managing to get her hands around something palpable.  


Princess Mei is the one who finally breaks the silence.

“How much longer until we make it home?” she asked, clearly fighting a losing battle with sleep as her eyelids fluttered.

“Not long now my Lady. Two days at most. One if we travel quickly.” 

“Are you excited to go home Lan Fan?” Ling perked up at his sister's words. His eyes fell on her. Suddenly the world seemed very small.

“That is where my duty lies. I have to return there.” 

“But do you want to?” 

The fire flickers in the young girls eyes and suddenly Lan Fan can see the resemblance to her older brothers. Strong eyes. Compassionate eyes. Eyes that see beyond masks and are astute at picking up that which was better left hidden. 

“You should sleep my Lady. We will need to continue at the break of dawn if we want to ensure our rations last. I will take first watch.” The girl sent her a grateful smile and before long was snoring soundly on her bed roll. 

“So why don’t you want to go home?” Damn him and his cleverness. He moved from across the fire and towards her. 

“I never said that I didn’t want to.” 

“You didn’t need to.” 

“With all due respect my Lord, what I want is meaningless. What matters is that we’re going back and you will be crowned Emperor. As it should be.” The words tasted bitter as she spoke them. 

“I don’t see how that has to stop you from getting what you want.” He leaned in closer. The fire seemed to be dancing off his cheekbones and through his hair. He was beautiful.  
Oh heavens help her. 

“My Lord, what I want is for you to be crowned Emperor and receive what is rightfully yours. I want to ensure my grandfather is properly laid to rest. And I want to ensure no harm comes to you.” 

“Can I tell you something I want?” 

She nodded, hesitant and unsure of where this was going. 

“Call me Ling.” 

“My Lord I-“ 

“No. I want this. I want to give this to you. After everything, we’ve been through and everywhere we’re going, I want us to journey as equals.” 

Lan Fans head began to swim. No matter how magnificent or meticulous a funeral she planned, her grandfather was bound to haunt her now. He continued to stare, searching for something she couldn’t find words for, couldn’t bring herself to even fully think of. 

And then, without warning, his lips were on hers, sweet and sloppy and oh so very Ling. 

Now Fu wasn’t just going to haunt her. He was going to give her a beating too. She’d kissed the Crown Prince of Xing. She might as well be dancing on the graves of her forefathers. 

“You look like I hit you…was it that bad?” 

She realized she had pulled away from him.

“No. It wasn’t…I kissed you.” She said it more as though it were a question than a fact. 

“Actually let the record show that I kissed you.” He was grinning ear to ear and moved to close the space between them again. His lips were clearly puckered for a second attempt. His awkwardness would be adorable if she didn’t feel like her stomach was in her throat.

“There’s not going to be a record!” The smile fell from his face at that. He starred quizzically at her. 

“This cannot happen. Do you know what it would do to your reputation?” 

“Do I look like I give a damn.” He was all seriousness now, back straight and eyes burning with intensity. 

“My Lo-"

“My name is Ling.”

“You cannot do this. You will have 50 other women clawing for your attention before long. And even more so, I am your guard. To continue down this path would bring dishonour to your family name as well as to mine.” 

“I have had my fill of ‘cannots’. I’m sick of them. This will be my life and how I choose to conduct my private relationships will have no impact on how I live my life. The only reason I can see that would stop me from wanting you is if you don’t want me. And if that’s the case then I’ll back off and this will never have happened. But I need to hear you say it yourself, otherwise I’m not going to believe it.” He folded his hands neatly on his lap, clearly pleased with himself. Suddenly her throat felt sticky and her words happened to be the unfortunate flies caught in the trap.

“I…” He cocked his head to the side. 

“Yes?” 

“…Ling. I’m terrified.” And suddenly all his confidence is gone. Lan Fan had admitted she was scared. Lan Fan had shown visible weakness. This was the girl tempered into a master of patience and precision, as methodical as could be. He could hardly bare to stand it. Almost as if he were trying to squeeze all the anxiety out of her, he pulled her to his chest. She trembled in his arms. 

“I’ll protect you. No matter what happens between us I’ll do everything in my power to protect you. You’re the most honourable woman I know.” 

“Grandfather would be so ashamed of me.” 

“For what? Caring for your prince? It’s not your fault I’m ridiculously attractive.” That earned him a sour look. 

“You know what he’d say as well as I do. It’s a slight on tradition and honour.” 

“Tradition can hang. There is a time and place for it, but our country has been bogged down by it and its equally toxic twin bureaucracy for far too long. I’m going to pull us out of that slump by shire tenacity alone. And I want you with me when I do. I can’t do this without you Lan Fan. I want you at my side.” 

She couldn’t bring herself to speak the words out loud but she could muster a nod. That was more than enough. He kissed her again, this time so hard that she fell off of her seat and onto the ground below them. He wasn’t too far after her.

“I’m so happy. I want to make you happy too.” His words almost didn’t quite make it through the haze of both surrealism and joy that were floating through her mind. Here she was, kissing the boy who was always two steps ahead of her beneath a brilliant diamond sky. There was an infinity of space in this world for him to occupy, and yet here he was pressing to be as close to her as he could manage. 

There would be plenty of time to deal with the complexities of reality when they returned to Xing. For now, all Lan Fan wanted, all she was capable of doing really, was letting go and giving in to the softness parts of herself. And that, she decided as truly began to kiss back that stupid, wreckless, insufferable, utterly charming prince, was not inherently a bad thing.

**Author's Note:**

> Day Two is here and I'm so excited!! I really love this piece and it is very much an extension of my headcanon for there where, when, and why these two get together. I love them so much and hope you guys adore them as much as I do!


End file.
